24 Answers

By Amanda Lee
- Posted on Oct 5, 2011

78

My eldest boy just turned 2 over the weekend and my youngest is 6 months. I have never left either of them over night as im not ready to do so yet. Every one keeps telling me we should go out for a night and leave them but I think its a very personal decision and everyone will be ready at different times. The most I have left my eldest was with my mum and it was about 3 hours, I still have not left my second son at all as he is still just 6 months.

3

By Amanda Lee
- commented on Oct 5, 2011

78

we even took my eldest on our honeymoon as he waqs only 9 months old and i knew I would not enjoy the honeymoon if we left him because I would have spent the whole time worrying about him LOL :)

My eldest child Joseph will be 3 in 6 weeks and i left him to stay over night at my mums house for the first time 2 weeks ago i really missed him but felt like it was time for him to stay out, he has stayed there twice now and loves it as he gets 100% attention from my mum and gets to do what he wants and spoilt rotten, its me with the seperation issues not him lol. I am glad i waited so long though, my friends have had their kids sleeping out from as young as a couple of weeks i personally couldnt and wouldnt do this, my youngest is now 13 weeks old and i think the first night i will spend apart from her will be on my wedding night which she will be around 11 months old, but they are both coming on honeymoon with me cause there is no way i could leave my babies for longer than the night.

1

By Vasilissa
- Posted on Oct 10, 2012

00

I'm 16, my mom let me have my first sleepover when i was probably like 4 but it was with someone she trusted a lot. My oldest ,5, had her first sleepover last month! She was really excited about it and i told her what to do if something happened and blah blah blah. My youngest is only 2 months so the only place he's slept over is at the hospital when he was born lol. It was hard for me to see her go but i had to work in the office that day, so she had the privilege to hang with her friend for the whole day and night. I missed her of course but she loved so it's fine. By the way Kylie is not my actual daughter, her mother was my best friend and she died when Kylie was three. I still love her to death even though i didn't give birth to her of course. :)

0

By YeeSin Chan
- Posted on May 3, 2012

3015

10 months old, with my in-laws, for 5 night! DH and I went on a trip to HK, and left my DD with my MIL. I would have done it earlier if I have close family that live near by us!

0

By Laura Tippett
- Posted on Dec 26, 2011

1141

9 months...when my sister (my daughter's godmother as well) called one day and said she would be over Saturday morning to take my daughter for the night. We were to come to Sunday dinner at her house to pick up the baby. I knew she would be in the best hands possible so just gritted my teeth and let her go!

0

By Shauna Pradaman
- Posted on Oct 12, 2011

014

My daughter was 18 months when I first left her at her grandma's. It was a difficult decision to make but my husband really wanted for us to spend some time out by ourselves. Its not that we forsaked our child but we both need to enjoy one another & be out. I ensured that I pack her stuff that would make her comfortable & gave grandma instructions and even called a couple times. I think once we know that our children are safe & comfortable, moms & dads should take time out & keep the fire buring. There isn't a thing that my daughter needs & doesn't get, we love her so much. Besides her grandparents were the happiest people we knew that night. This is just the way that I think & I could be wrong for some...

0

By Debbie Douglas
- Posted on Oct 11, 2011

2342

My big girl Miley is 2 and a half and had her first night away last night :) at my mums. very hard rang mum about five times to make sure things were going well. Mum was great she said if she wasn't ok she would bring her home. but it is now morning so they must have had a good night :)

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By Holly Adamson
- Posted on Oct 6, 2011

3720

I have a 2 year old and a 4 month old and I have never left my girls. My husband and I decided to have children, so for us, it is our responsibility to be with them. We had our fun of going out before children so now we enjoy every minute with them at home. We have taken my 2 year old out of Country on vacation twice and in January we will be taking both girls out of Country on vacation. Many people ask why take them because they won't remember, but I am just different. I can't worry about something happening and I am not there to remedy the situation. Its up to you and everyone has different opinions about having their children stay overnight somewhere.

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By Kelly Newman
- Posted on Oct 5, 2011

711

My daughter is 16 months and I haven't left her overnight yet. I have only left her about 3 times during the day for only a few hours at a time so overnighters would be way too scary for me! I'm going to try leaving her with my mum or sister for a whole day and then progress to nights later. I have lost interest in going out since having her so would rather stay home and play with her but I know a lot of mothers that have left their babies at a young age (a couple of weeks old) so really depends on how comfortable you are with leaving them and who you are leaving them with.

0

By Jennifer Burth
- Posted on Oct 5, 2011

1811

My daughter was just 7 weeks old when we left her overnight at my mil's house so we could celebrate my birthday with a room at the casino!

0

By Wendi Watson
- commented on Oct 6, 2011

729

that is so young. I was seriously attached to my baby daughter. when she was asleep in the car id be in the back and id have her fingers curled around mine because id miss her so much when she was sleeping. of course newborns sleep alot.

By Wendi Watson
- commented on Oct 6, 2011

729

i also didnt have alone date with my husband until our daughter was 5 mths old. Only because i was told by my moth n law that it is best for us. We were only gone for a couple hours the first time.

well My daughter will be 14 mths old. She is going to have he first slumber party at her gramy and papas house she she will know what it is like without us when i give birth in Febuary. It will be tough without her but i will enjoy me and my hubbys time alone and im glad i wont be alone without her . I know i would go nuts. I dont want to do it but i know it is best for me and her. We are going to have her stay the night for once a mths til i give birth. IT will be good because it wont be such a shock not to have he there when i am in the hospital. this saturday she will be at her gramys house and will pick her up the nest day.

0

By misomaniac
- Posted on Oct 5, 2011

16

Well..4 weeks but that doesn't count cause I didnt leave her per-say. My mom took her downstairs while I caught up on sleep upstairs. This month will be the first...she'll be almost 5 months. Mom is taking her while me and my boyfriend have a night out and spend the night at a hotel. We'll see how it goes.

0

By misomaniac
- commented on Oct 5, 2011

16

And as it stands my mom is really truly the only person I'm comfortable with having her. I don't even feel comfortable leaving her a few hours with friends who already have kids. Also don't feel comfortable with my boyfriends mom watching her as I don't know her too well yet (and she seemed a bit awkward with the baby when visiting)!

By Janice Malishefski
- Posted on Oct 5, 2011

613

Both of my children were approximately three months old when they first spent a night with grandma. We've never looked back and neither of them have a hard time going over there or just about anywhere else now that they're one and four. I cried the first night away from my first-born, but it got easier after. Get them used to it early on and it'll make it a lot easier later.

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By Shauna Pradaman
- commented on Oct 14, 2011

014

I totally agree with you...

By Kare More
- Posted on Oct 5, 2011

1113

My daughter was two and a half when she stayed at a friends house, That was when my second daughter was born. I was in labor and still worried about her. She has been to daycare when I worked and goes there when she needs a playmate fix but otherwise I bring them everywhere I can.

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By Kristy Elkins
- Posted on Oct 5, 2011

5217

I left my oldest with his grandparents overnight when he wasn't quite 2 yet. He was there overnight while I had my daughter. I wasn't really prepared for it. My water broke and I had to get to the hospital ASAP. In my hurry to get to the hospital I left with out his over night bag. I had jammies, a change of clothes, some of his favorite toys and of course diapers. They came and picked him up t the hospital, just before active labor kicked in. Other than not wanting to settle down at night becuase of the excitement of staying the night at grandma's house, he did just fine. Though if I hadn't been too distracted with my new born daughter, I admit I probably would have been out of my mind with worry and an emotional basket case.

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By Jaime McKown
- Posted on Oct 5, 2011

2910

Hmm....my son is 7 now, and the only person who has ever watched him overnight is my mom and that wasn't until he was 2.

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By Sonia Enslow
- Posted on Oct 5, 2011

2319

My first daughter was around 5 months old the first time we left her with my parents overnight. It was our first anniversary. My mom says that they have to be at least 5 months before she will keep them overnight. I have 4 kids so I enjoy the break every now and then. Although, my son is only 3 1/2 months so I haven't left him yet. I was a little nervous with my first daughter, but with the other 2 girls it was easy.

0

By Ayla McConnell
- Posted on Oct 5, 2011

7816

The only time I left my daughter over night was when she was 23 months old when our second daughte was born. I was in hospital for 2 days that's the longest i've ever left her! She hung out with her grandparents during the day and her dad took care of her at night.

Before that the longest I had left her was for 3 hours to get my hair done once.

0

By Sharalyn Shafer
- Posted on Oct 5, 2011

5536

My son was almost 3 years old. My daughter is 5 months, and I can't imagine doing so until she's done nursing.

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By Tara Fowler
- Posted on Oct 5, 2011

1310

My daughter was two month shy of 3 years old. The only reason being my son was just born and I got really sick after he was born and had bad postpartum blues. She kept asking why mommy was so sad cause i have uncontrollable crying. It made me more sad having her watch me like that so I had my parents take her for the night a couple different times till I got better. She has lots of fun at gma and gpas so I knew it would be a good distraction for her. She did great. Since then the has spend the night a handful of times and she has fun. If it werent for being forsed into it she still wouldnt have spend the night away from me. But I am glad it happened because it has been great for my daughter to learn that it is ok to spend the night away from mommy (she is a major mommys girl) at first it was very hard, and I still feel kinda lost when she goes out there for the night lol, like something is missing. But it is great for both of us!

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By Betsy Elliott
- Posted on Oct 5, 2011

69

My first daughter I left with my sister when she was about 2 months old so me and my husband could finally get a night of sleep. Same with my boy. My daughter is 2 and my son is 1 and my sister is single, and I trust her completely. One night of sleep helps every once in awhile when you are going through the hardest times of your life. It helps your family bond with your children too.

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By JULIE SALT
- Posted on Oct 5, 2011

2012

I agree that this is a very personal decision and you must be comfortable with who ever is caring for your child at any age. Personally I had no choice but to leave my 5 week old daughter with my mum for numerous nights while I was hospitalised for 3+ weeks, hubby needed the break to be able to be with me in hospital as well so I was eternally grateful at the time.. It was awful at the time but, one big lesson i was forced to learn very early on to realise that my baby was just fine without me overnight... of course I worried and missed my baby like you wouldnt believe. From the age of 2 - 8 months, my mum took her for about one or two nights a month so we could have a break or go to a movie or something. From 8 months till now (3 yrs old) my daughter has spent one night week at my Mums house and both of them love it. One thing I will also recommend is just try it one night with someone you trust with all your instructions, milk/bottles/food/nappies, routine, what they like/dont like and do it while they are a baby, so they get used to being without you and it becomes a fun thing as they get older. My girlfriend has a daughter the same age mine and has not had one night away with anyone else... she is trying now and her daughter will not have a bar of it and is proving impossible, she doesnt know what to do and she told me she regrets not letting the grandparents have overnights while a baby. Trust me the first night is the worst and it gets much easier with practice like anything else. With time, you will relish the break and yes its hard but I feel worth it. Good Luck!

She was eight months. We don't have family where we live so when we went to visit them last summer my sister in law offered to mind the baby for two nights. It was hard, especially the first night but it did good to our marriage.

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By Kaitlin
- Posted on Oct 4, 2011

1,10721

Well, with my first, I think he was about 9 months old. Our second was about 7 months old. No, I wasn't totally comfortable, but it was really that we didn't have anywhere to go before then. The occasions we left them were for weddings out of state. We left them with my mom. I had all of their meals prepared and labeled in the fridge, along with bottles, and a schedule for them (since at this point they were on pretty regular schedules and routines), emergency numbers, and our itinerary. They were fine. Better than I did ;). It makes a difference how old they are, how comfortable they are with the person you'll be leaving them with, and if they will be in their own house or a different home. Also, even if you think they are 'too young' to understand, talk to them about it a few days before, over and over. This really helps.

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By Kirsten Anchondo
- commented on Oct 4, 2011

518

I stayed away from our daughter when she was 9 months, but because we had just gotten married and stayed one night in a hotel. I woke up bright and early and said to my husband, "okay, can we go home now?" He laughed and said, "you miss the baby."

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